30 August, 2010

New Stems and Restocked Components


Here is a new VO stem. We're calling it the "Tall-Stack" until we think of a better name. Stack height is 75mm. It offers a really clean look on a modern bike. Angle is 17-degrees, for a level extension, and lengths from 80-110mm are currently available.

Many of you asked for VO stems that fit 31.8mm handlebars. we now have them in both 6-degree and 17-degree versions.

We also have new stem shims: 31.8mm-to-26mm and 31.8mm-to-25.4mm.

A few Items we've been out of are back in stock, including:

VO Half Clips
VO Road Pedals
VO Stem Adapters
All sizes of threadless stems
1" Decaleur Kits
Gran Compe ENE Ciclo Tires

There are several other new items we'll list soon. 400 cases of parts arrived on Friday and it'll take a few days to sort through everything.

40 comments:

  1. Chris,

    these look nice - congrats to a prodcut that many are looking for.

    Any chance for a 120 mm?

    Also, do you have a EAT for the 110bc grand cru crank?

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  2. The 110bcd GC cranks should be ready to ship very soon, but the factory has not yet sent us an ETA. We have a 40' container shipping in two weeks and we'll push to get them in it.

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  3. Me Likey! I second the request for 120mm.

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  4. Andrew Squirrel8/30/10, 4:35 PM

    Do you think you might get restock of the Porteur bars anytime soon?

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  5. I've had bad luck with the Bontrager stems with teeth / texture inside the stem clamp. It seems to weaken the grip on the bars. Most high end stems seem to be smooth inside the clamp.

    Otherwise, looks nifty.

    -Ben

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  6. Like the tall stack, wish it was 26.0 - only because I have a small boatlaod of 26.0 bars. Very pretty!

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  7. We might get 120mm stems if these sell well. This is a new concept for us and I'm hesitant to invest in a lot of stock until I see how folks like them.

    The Porteur bars might not arrive until the end of the month; sorry. If you guys didn't buy so darn many of them we wouldn't always have this problem.

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  8. Out of curiosity, why the tall stack and then negative angle? Is that just an aesthetic choice? Because it looks like a 0º stem would put the bar at about the same height, and weigh less. I just don't get it.

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  9. I support the tall stack concept in either -6 degree or 0 degree. Since weight is negligible, it's just a personal aesthetics choice.

    I too am surprised it's oversized instead of 26.0. Just how many OS handlebar users are in VO's customer base?

    If the tall stack was available for a 1" steerer tube, I think VO would have a hit. At least based on my current needs...

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  10. yeah. What Noah Illinsky said. I'd like to see a 0degree tall stem...

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  11. can that stem be flippped to get more hieght. i like stems that point up not down
    thx superfreak

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  12. Of course the reason for a near-level stem is aesthetics. There are still many of us who don't think a steeply up-sloping stem looks as good on a road bike. There are also many of us who don't need their bars much above saddle level. We are who these stems are for. One style does not fit all.

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  13. Does the steerer tube need to go all the way to the top (-3 mm or so), or is it sufficient to just clear the clamp bolt?

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  14. Happy Days!! This is the stem I have been looking for, thanks so much! Perfect match for Albatross bars. As regards the 120mm lobby, I would question whether 10mm here or there makes that much difference - see article on page 47 of current rivendell catalogue.

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  15. There is a minimum insertion line marked inside the stem. It's about 15mm below the top.

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  16. why 31.8? only available from the manufacturer in this size?

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  17. Good product--I was hoping you'd finally get this out, after hearing about it a while ago. Silver too! I'll be more likely to jump when it's available in smaller clamp sizes, but might anyway. The angle is perfect--at last, a non-ugly, non-custom threadless stem!

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  18. 400 cases of Beer arrived on Friday ?

    Sounds like a Party !

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  19. That much extra material for aesthetics? That's a shame. It could be such a practical component if it's height were used to good advantage. Indeed, one style does NOT fit all.

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  20. beautiful. leave the haters in the dust with your lower bar setup, that's what i say.

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  21. Velo Orange has five models of stems that can point skyward. So why do some commentators complain about a nice stem for the rest of us? People are so incredibly selfish in these comments.

    Nice stem VO!

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  22. I like the stem!
    Any chance for a version like the Nitto Periscopa or DirtDrop (for those of us who need a raised riding height)

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  23. You should post some photos showing this stem on a bicycle by itself and with individual spacers. It would be interesting to see how the knurled and regular spacers look next to this stem. It's always bugged me that spacers are wider than the vertical section of the stem.

    Also you need to put those brown tires on a bike and take some photos. It would be interesting to see brown under a hammered fender.

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  24. 31.8??? Really? Will wait for 26.0. Sigh.....

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  25. René Breton8/31/10, 3:53 PM

    That's a breakthrough design for a stem, very clean and beautiful for being both for threadless and a pop top.

    It's a shame that the cleanliness of the aesthetic is contradicted by the clamp size. Because really, how many people who run 31.8mm bars are concerned with classic looking simplicity?

    The people who are more likely to want such classic lines are probably using traditional diameter bars. But they have to use an ugly shim! You can't tell me that shim doesn't make a pop top stem even more hideously chunky.

    I'm guessing VO would sell more of these with a 26.0mm clamp diameter. Well, at least one more.

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  26. Do the new stock of 26.0, 6* stems have the new VO crest (as seen on the 31.8 stems) or the same VO logo as the previous batch of 26.0 stems?

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  27. These are fantastic. However, I echo other comments regarding clamp size. Most everyone looking for these kinds of parts cares about both form and function, and there is no way that I'm going to switch over to 31.8 handlebars.

    Hopefully there will be some coming in 26.0. Cheers!

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  28. Ought this stem not have a rounded top with an integral cap/bearing preload bolt? I have a hard time picturing someone leaving spacers on top of it.

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  29. @ the 26mm clamp lobby, buy a shim - problem solved

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  30. @Samuel -
    While you may see a shim as problem solved, I think a lot of us in the "26.0 lobby" see this as a problem created. Yeah a shim works, but I think what most of us are saying is that this is a component that will likely appeal to an audience that rides traditional stuff ie 26.0 bars. Clearly that's whats coming across in a lot of the comments. It's a lovely stem but I wouldn't purchase one to use with a shim, I don't own any 31.8 bars and I don't plan on purchasing any 31.8 bars while all my favortite bars are still available in 26.0. Additionally, I have a stash of 26.0 bars - and I'm guessing a lot of VO's customers do as well.

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  31. Like it or not, 26.0mm bars are becoming scarce. Look at the new Nitto catalog or wander around Interbike. Almost all new bars from the bigger companies are 31.8mm. And we get a lot of e-mails asking for 31.8mm stems. So I decided to see if they'd be popular. So far they are selling pretty well.

    The new VO rando and road bars will be 26.0mm. And that's the size I personally use. But times, they are changing.

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  32. Joe, the new stems will are getting the crest logo as a running change. As we sell out of the old ones the new logo will be available.

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  33. I'm sure I'm just one of many who is glad that VO will continue to produce bars in the traditional diameters. Soon the whole 31.8 thing will blow over anyway. I have it on good authority that the 45.45mm trend is just over the horizon...

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  34. I love the stem, it will perfectly compliment my Deda Speciale.

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  35. Regarding the 31.8 mm clamp size, I suppose that it is something of a problem for large manufacturers like Shimano that the bicycle was essentially perfected at least 50 years ago. Here's hoping that part of Velo Orange's raison d'etre is resistance to fad and marketing.

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  36. Wow, very cool! For a name, how about the "Up and down" stem?

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  37. Congrats. The FIRST threadless stem this quill-stem era aesthete finds admires. Of course: it is quill "7" shaped, which completely distracts from the shrivelled testes look of all other threadless stems.
    RE: handlebar sizing for contempo bars. Dissident early-cohort members should finance warehouse stock for a model to fit old bars if they think there's a future [double entendre] in them.

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  38. Was just at Eurobike--1% or less were steel bikes, and few smaller diameter bars. While that's no surprise, I even talked to the Thomson stem reps, and they're phasing out older Elite (internal clamp) stems by Jan of this year. 31.8 seems to be the future for the majority, weather we like it or not. And a lot of bars (great shapes) are only offered in 31.8. Now if only they can make em in silver...

    Don't want to use a shim? buy one of the other stems. Or perhaps a new version will be produced. Chris is offering a diverse range with class.

    Hispania, a new builder out of spain with really nice frames, actually bought VO stems, bars, and posts at retail price at a store a few days before the show to outfit a new 2011 frame he displayed at eurobike. He's loves this stuff. Modern yet retains class.

    Moving forward with timeless designs is the way to go and I'll be buying a couple. We need to make more, beautiful designs, not just lock ourselves in time with older patterns and grouch about, in my view, very slight change here....

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  39. twentysix.oh9/9/10, 6:48 AM

    If this was only offered in 35mm I'd be all over it - 31.8 will very soon be a memory. It's tough trying to keep up with the times, isn't it?
    http://tinyurl.com/286aoee

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  40. going off-topic here but 35mm seems to be the standard size for motorcycles, is this new size just a cynical ploy to cut down on tooling costs by manufacturers that make bars for motorbikes as well as their human-powered brethren?

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